TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie said today he was intent on moving ahead with a plan to fold Rutgers-Camden into Rowan University, despite vocal opposition from critics and a possible alternative from the Senate president.

Christie reiterated he wants the takeover in place by July 1, and that all phases — or none — of his three-pronged plan for an overhaul of the state’s medical and research institutions had to be put in place.

"They’re going to merge," Christie insisted at a news conference in Hamilton. "I am not favoring any type of hybrid consortium that allows them to keep the name that they’ve become, for whatever reason, wed to."

On Monday, Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) told a hearing convened by joint legislative committee he would be open to a consortium or partnership between the two schools as an alternative to a complete takeover by Rowan, a former teachers’ college in Glassboro.

But Christie quickly dismissed the idea.

"We’re going to make this transformation happen," he said. "We’re going to create an energetic, bold new research university in South Jersey with a medical school and law school."

Sweeney, through a spokesman, declined to comment.

Christie and other supporters say the takeover will enable Rowan to become a major research university with a law school and medical school, and will attract private endowments and money for research.

But supporters of Rutgers-Camden contend degrees from Rowan — not well known outside South Jersey — will be less prestigious than those from Rutgers, which has a national reputation.

Christie said both universities should be preparing for the takeover, and Rowan announced that tomorrow its interim president, Ali Houshman, planned to unveil "a road map of sorts that was written after months of consideration."

"It reflects Rowan’s views only, not those of Rutgers-Camden," the news release said.

Earlier this year, a panel formed by Christie recommended a sweeping reorganization that includes creation of a New Jersey Health Sciences University in Newark to replace UMDNJ, place University Hospital under nonprofit management, and fold Rutgers-Camden and its law school into Rowan.

Last fall, the panel recommended shifting the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the School of Public Health from UMDNJ to Rutgers in New Brunswick.

At his news conference, Christie said he had not decided how to move forward — through legislation or an executive reorganization — but added that he hoped to reach an agreement with legislators.

Some legal experts have questioned whether the governor can effectuate the changes through his executive power.

Christie also batted away several other potential obstacles, like the cost of combining the universities and concern about the American Bar Association not accrediting a Rowan law school.

Although there is no estimate of the plan’s cost, Christie said he was not concerned because it would be a relatively small amount when the "grand scheme of the size of these universities" is considered.

Pro and Con the University MergerDuring a joint N.J. Assembly and Senate Higher Education Committee meeting at Rowan University, Rowan Interim President Ali Housmand speaks in favor of a merger between his university and Rutgers-Camden; then Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Wendell Pritchett tells the committee opposition to the merger is almost unanimous on his campus.
(Staff video by Lori M. Nichols)

When and if the plan gains approval — from either the Legislature, Christie, or both — the Rutgers Board of Governors and Board of Trustees will have to sign off on it, according to Rutgers officials.

But Christie said that’s "open to legal interpretation," and warned Rutgers can either accept the plan for all three campuses or not at all.

Both the departing Rutgers president and the chancellor of Rutgers-Camden have spoken out against the takeover.

"Let me make something very clear," Christie said. "It all happens, or none of it happens. This is not a divisible plan."

"If there’s anybody on the Rutgers Board of Governors or Rutgers Board of Trustees who thinks for a moment that some of this plan can be approved and others of it not be approved, let them please be disabused," he said.